Nudge
Can you implant fake memories?
Mar 24, 2025
In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Charan Ranganath, a Professor at the Center for Neuroscience and author of 'Why We Remember', delves into the complexities of memory. He reveals how memory can be more fiction than fact, discussing the infamous Satanic Panic and how false memories were manipulated. Listeners learn that even reputable sources can misremember, and hear shocking studies where many believed they'd committed crimes they never did. This exploration of implanted memories raises profound questions about our recollections and the reliability of memory itself.
28:06
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Quick takeaways
- The publication of 'Michelle Remembers' in 1980 sparked the Satanic Panic, demonstrating how suggestive therapy can create false memories.
- Research shows that memory is often shaped by imagination, highlighting the risks of relying on recovered memories in therapy.
Deep dives
The Rise of Repressed Memories
The publication of 'Michelle Remembers' in 1980 marked a significant moment in the history of memory and therapy, as it detailed alleged satanic rituals that Michelle Smith supposedly endured as a child. Using techniques like hypnosis, her therapist Dr. Lawrence Pazda helped her recover what they claimed were repressed memories of horrific abuse. However, the ethical implications of such techniques have been questioned, particularly since the therapist and patient eventually got married, raising concerns about bias and suggestibility in their sessions. This narrative contributed to the wave of the 'Satanic Panic' in the United States, where numerous claims emerged, often based on unverifiable memories of satanic ritual abuse.
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